Rv kitchen with outdoor refrigerator

ABSTRACT

An absorption refrigerator installed in an outward facing kitchenette in a recreational vehicle. The food compartment of the refrigerator is accessible from outside the vehicle. An air passage directs air from outside the vehicle to the back of the refrigerator by drawing air up through an opening located below the refrigerator and out of an opening located above the refrigerator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Recreational vehicles, also called RVs, commonly use absorption stylerefrigerators to keep food cool. These refrigerators use a heat sourcethat can be powered with propane or electricity to initiate a reactionwhich permits the coolant to absorb heat from the refrigeratorcompartment, causing it to cool. Absorption refrigerators have heatexchange units, typically located in the back of the refrigerator.Adequate air flow over the heat exchange unit is required for therefrigerator to function.

A conventionally installed RV refrigerator as shown in FIG. 5 has a foodcompartment door 11 which opens toward the inside of the RV 18 so thatoccupants within the RV can access food stored within the refrigerator.The back 13 of the refrigerator 10 faces the outer wall 17 of thevehicle. A vent 14 in the outer wall 17 of the vehicle is locatedimmediately adjacent'to the heat exchange unit 12 so that air can flowdirectly from outside the vehicle onto the heat exchange. Typically, anopening 16 in the vehicle is provided adjacent to the heat exchange unitto provide access for repairs to the refrigerator, a door or cover isprovided to cover that opening, and a vent is formed in the cover. Anadditional opening 14 to the outside of the vehicle is placed above therefrigerator's heat exchange so that cool air flows through the loweropening and onto the heat exchanger and then rises as indicated by arrow19 through a passage 15 toward the upper opening 14 and flows throughthe upper vent and outside the vehicle.

The RV industry has relatively recently begun providing outdoor cookingoptions for operators of recreational vehicles so that meals can becooked outside the vehicle. These options include kitchenettes equippedwith at least some kitchen appliances and which are permanentinstallations of the vehicle but which face the outside of the vehicle.These integral outdoor kitchenettes typically include portable 120 voltauxiliary refrigerators of residential design which use condensers tocool their interiors. These auxiliary refrigerators cannot be operatedwith the 12 volt direct current RV power available from vehiclebatteries, and cannot use propane as a power source. They require theuse of a generator as a source of alternating current electrical powerin any campsite which does not provide 120 volt electrical power source.Generators are noisy, are prohibited in some campgrounds between certainhours, and require that a user also bring gasoline to power it.Moreover, these auxiliary 120 volt refrigerators cannot be operated whenthe vehicle is in motion. Consequently, before the vehicle is moved, thecontents of the auxiliary refrigerator must be removed and placed in theprimary, absorption refrigerator located inside the vehicle which can becontinuously powered by the vehicle's batteries or propane.

This shortcoming has been recognized by RV users and RV manufacturers,but the RV industry before now has not been able to offer a betteralternative. It is conventionally believed that an absorptionrefrigerator must be positioned immediately proximate to an opening tothe outside of the vehicle in order to receive adequate ventilation.Such a refrigerator installation is shown in FIG. 5.

An outward facing RV refrigerator would have a heat exchange unit whichfaced the inside of the RV, and it would be impossible to place it nextto a vent to the outside so that it could receive adequate ventilation.Additionally, such an arrangement would place a heat source—the heatexchange unit—inside the living area of the RV, impacting the RV's airconditioner performance. Any leaking propane from the heat exchange unitwill leak into the living area of the RV.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed herein is an absorption refrigerator installed in arecreational vehicle, said refrigerator having a front and a back, saidfront accessible from outside the vehicle, said back in communicationwith a passage having a first end and a second end, each said enddefined by an opening to the outside of said vehicle, said passageadapted to direct air from outside the vehicle to contact said back ofsaid refrigerator, wherein said first end of said passage has a locationwithin said vehicle which is lower than a location of said refrigerator.

Also disclosed herein is a recreational vehicle having an integraloutdoor kitchenette, said kitchenette including a stove and arefrigerator, wherein said refrigerator is an absorption refrigerator,said refrigerator having a front and a back, said front accessible fromoutside the vehicle, said back communicating with a passage having afirst end and a second end, each said end defined by an opening to theoutside of said vehicle, said passage adapted to cause air from outsidethe vehicle to contact said back of said refrigerator, wherein a firstend of said passage has a location within said vehicle which is lowerthan a location of said refrigerator.

The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of theinvention will be more readily understood upon consideration of thefollowing detailed description of the invention taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a lateral view of a recreational vehicle having an integraloutdoor kitchenette enclosed with a cover.

FIG. 2 is a lateral view of a recreational vehicle having an integraloutdoor kitchenette with cover in an open position.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a refrigerator installed in accordancewith the methods disclosed herein.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a refrigerator installed in accordancewith the methods disclosed herein.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a refrigerator installed in accordancewith the conventional methods of installing refrigerators inrecreational vehicles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Disclosed herein is an installation for an outward facing refrigeratorwhich can either be installed on its own or as part of an outdoorkitchen integral with an RV. The inventors herein have discovered that,contrary to the conventional understanding of refrigerator installation,an absorption refrigerator can be adequately ventilated withoutproviding an opening to the exterior of the vehicle adjacent to the heatexchange unit and without placing the heat exchange unit within a ductwhich extends in a straight line between the lower duct and the upperduct in order to enhance the “chimney effect” that draws air straight upfrom the lower duct to the upper duct. This discovery has permitted theinventors to provide an outward facing absorption style refrigerator aspart of an outdoor kitchenette installed in a recreation vehicle.

Recreational vehicle 20 has a refrigerator 24 installed in accordancewith the disclosure provided herein. Refrigerator 20 may be part of anexterior kitchenette 22, which is covered by a door 30 which enclosesthe exterior kitchenette when it is not in use, protecting it fromexposure or tampering. Kitchenette 20 may also include a stove top 23 aor other cooking apparatus and a sink 23 b, as well as shelves orcabinets or other storage.

As shown in FIG. 3, the refrigerator 24 is an absorption refrigeratorwhich can operate on 12 volt direct current power, such as that suppliedby vehicle batteries, or on propane, as well as on 120 volt alternatingcurrent power which can be supplied by electrical outlets. Refrigerator24 has a door 28 which faces outward, providing access to the contentsof the refrigerator from outside the vehicle. The refrigerator 24 isabsorption refrigerator with a heat exchange unit (not shown) on itsback external wall 48. The refrigerator resides in a cabinet which openstoward the outside of the vehicle and is enclosed on two sides, the top52, the bottom 54, and the back 56. Proximal to the back wall 56 of thecabinet, the bottom 54 of the cabinet defines an opening 60. The opening60 is in fluid communication with a passage 36 which has an opening tothe outside of the vehicle at each end, an intake end and an exhaustend. An intake opening to the outside of the vehicle is located belowthe refrigerator. The intake opening may be in the bottom of the vehicle(not shown). This intake opening is preferably covered with a ventedcover or with screens to keep insects, vermin, and debris from enteringthe opening but permit the flow of air from under the vehicle up throughthe passage 36 in the direction shown by arrow 46. One or more air damsor other structures which divert the flowing air into the passage whenthe vehicle is in motion may also be used.

The passage 36 directs air flow over the back of the refrigerator 48where the heat exchange unit is located and then continues up past theback of the refrigerator, bends toward the sidewall 50 of the vehicle,and terminates in an exhaust opening 64 located above the refrigerator,and may be located in the sidewall of the vehicle. The exhaust opening64 is preferably covered with a vented cover 58 or with screens.Alternatively, the passage may terminate in an exhaust opening in thetop of the vehicle (not shown); however this roof vent may lead to agreater risk that precipitation will leak into the vehicle, and thechimney takes up space inside the vehicle and thus reduces the spaceavailable for storage cabinets or other uses.

One or more fans 38 may be provided in the passage 36 in order toactively draw air up the passage, which may be especially advantageouswhen the RV is not in motion. Baffles 44 or partitions ensure that thepassage 36 is continuous and enclosed to better facilitate air flow andto prevent pockets of dead, hot air from accumulating, for exampleagainst the top of the refrigerator.

A service opening 40 may be provided in the back wall of the cabinet inorder to provide access to the heat exchange unit of the refrigerator inorder to facilitate servicing of the refrigerator. The service openingshould be sealable with gaskets surrounding the opening and a solidcover 41 so that hot air and any propane that leaks out of therefrigerator cannot enter the living space of the RV. Such propane isheavier than air, and can fall out of the vent located in the bottom ofthe vehicle.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, the intake opening 42 in the passage36 may be located in the sidewall 50 under the refrigerator 24 insteadof in the bottom of the vehicle. That configuration does raise the levelof the refrigerator so that it may be more difficult for shorter peopleto use, and it requires at least one 90 degree bend 66 in the passage 36and thus in the path of travel of the air as shown by arrow 68. Theupper vent 34 can also be placed in the sidewall of the vehicle 50 orcan be in the roof. Baffles 44 can be used to define a passage thatangles toward the sidewall of the vehicle as shown in FIG. 3 or whichmakes an additional 90 degree bend 70 toward the sidewall as shown inFIG. 4.

This method of installation of a refrigerator does not permit thepositioning of a vent immediately proximate to the heat exchange unit,as is conventionally thought to be necessary in order to provide anabsorption refrigerator with adequate ventilation. It also requiresventilation using a duct which is not straight. Manufacturers ofrefrigerators typically advise against installing absorptionrefrigerators without positioning vents immediately proximal to the heatexchange unit. However, the inventors herein have determined that if thepassage, including both openings, is several inches deep and the widthof the refrigerator, it provides sufficient ventilation, especially if afan is also used to actively draw air up through the lower vent. Thisdiscovery permits the inventors of the method of installation herein toprovide outdoor facing absorption refrigerators which can operate onbattery power or propane and thus can operate continuously even when thevehicle is in motion and can be accessed from the outside of thevehicle.

The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoingspecification are used therein as terms of description and not oflimitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms andexpressions of excluding equivalents of the features shown and describedor portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the inventionis defined and limited only by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. An absorption refrigerator installed in a recreational vehicle, said refrigerator having a front and a back, said front accessible from outside the vehicle, said back in communication with a passage having a first end and a second end, each said end defined by an opening to the outside of said vehicle, said passage adapted to direct air from outside the vehicle to contact said back of said refrigerator, wherein said first end of said passage has a location within said vehicle which is lower than a location of said refrigerator.
 2. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein said second end of said passage has a location which is higher than a location of said refrigerator.
 3. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein said recreational vehicle has a sidewall, and said second end of said passage is defined by an opening in said sidewall.
 4. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein said recreational vehicle has a roof, and second end of said passage is defined by an opening in said roof.
 5. The refrigerator of claim 1 further including at least one fan located in said passage.
 6. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein said vehicle has a floor, and said first end of said passage is defined by an opening in said floor.
 7. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein said recreational vehicle has a sidewall, and said first terminal end of said passage is defined by an opening in said sidewall.
 8. A recreational vehicle having an integral outdoor kitchenette, said kitchenette including a stove and a refrigerator, wherein said refrigerator is an absorption refrigerator, said refrigerator having a front and a back, said front accessible from outside the vehicle, said back communicating with a passage having a first end and a second end, each said end defined by an opening to the outside of said vehicle, said passage adapted to cause air from outside the vehicle to contact said back of said refrigerator, wherein a first end of said passage has a location within said vehicle which is lower than a location of said refrigerator.
 9. The recreational vehicle of claim 8 wherein said second end of said passage has a location which is higher than a location of said refrigerator.
 10. The recreational vehicle of claim 8 wherein said recreational vehicle has a sidewall, and said second end of said passage is defined by an opening in said sidewall.
 11. The recreational vehicle of claim 8 wherein said recreational vehicle has a roof, and second end of said passage is defined by an opening in said roof
 12. The recreational vehicle of claim 8 further including at least one fan located in said passage.
 13. The recreational vehicle of claim 8 wherein said vehicle has a floor, and said first end of said passage is defined by an opening in said floor.
 14. The recreational vehicle of claim 8 wherein said recreational vehicle has a sidewall, and said first end of said passage is defined by an opening in said sidewall.
 15. The recreational vehicle of claim 8 wherein said refrigerator is installed in a cabinet, and said passage communicates with said refrigerator through openings in said cabinet. 